State aims to raise awareness about peril to children left in hot cars
With the temperatures rising, Gov. Nathan Deal and first lady Sandra Deal are teaming up with the Georgia Department for Early Care and Learning to raise awareness about children who suffer heat-related injuries or death after being left in an automobile for too long.
Amy Jacobs, commissioner of the state Department of Early Care and Learning, praised the Deals for their work with the department’s Look Again campaign.
“They are very aware of how dangerous it can be, and if they can do anything to help prevent the death of a child, they will do it,” Jacobs said.
On average in the United States, 37 children die each year from heat-related injuries from being left in a car. In 2014, a Warner Robins woman was sentenced to two years in jail for leaving her child in a hot car in 2011. The campaign hopes to end cases like that.
Jacobs said that in fiscal 2014, the state investigated after 18 children were left in vehicles.
“None of them were hurt but were left in cars for a significant amount of time,” Jacobs said. “We have increased all of our training to our child care providers, and we have seen those numbers decrease. In fiscal year 2015 we had eight, and in this fiscal year 2016 we have had seven.”
The campaign is aimed as a reminder to caregivers in Georgia, she said.
“Look Again is our campaign that we do every year to remind caregivers of any child in the state of Georgia about the dangers of leaving children in cars,” Jacobs said. “We are reminding people to never leave their child in a car, not even for a minute.”
“Not even for a minute” is a slogan for the campaign and is a reminder that the heat in a car and the child's body temperature both can rise rapidly.
“The body can’t compensate quick enough and cool itself fast enough to keep up with the rising temperatures,” said Houston County nurse manager Chris Sikes, of the Houston County Health Department.
As the temperature rises, it can lead to serious injury and ultimately death. Many times if the child is able to get out alive, organs can be severely damaged, she said.
“The lack of oxygen can cause brain damage to a child, certainly severe dehydration so all organ systems can be damaged,” Sikes said. “You’re lucky if you get them out in time if they are still alive. All too often it just happens too rapidly that there (are) not good outcomes.”
The Look Again campaign offers tips on how to remember to look in the backseat before leaving a car. The best way is to get into a routine of checking every time someone exits the vehicle. During the summer, schedules tend to change so being mindful is key, Jacobs said.
“It has definitely got to be a personal decision, whatever works for you and your routine,” Jacobs said. “If you need to put an alert on your phone or put your phone in the backseat, whatever extra you can put back there with your child to make sure you get your child.”
The campaign’s goal is to remind parents to always take the child with them even if it just for a few minutes in hopes of saving lives, Jacobs said.
“It is a very simple message that can save a life,” she said. “It is really tempting if you want to run in a grocery store or a drug store and you think ‘oh, it will just be easier’ to leave your child in a car for just a minute. It is completely unsafe and can be deadly. So this is our yearly reminder to everyone in Georgia who takes care of children.”
This story was originally published May 31, 2016 at 6:13 PM with the headline "State aims to raise awareness about peril to children left in hot cars."